Education
Sewell was part of a Lincoln Southeast High School football team that took consecutive state titles in 1997 and 1998, playing both defense (nose tackle) and offense (offensive guard) while earning all-city and all-state honors to accompany his Class A heavyweight powerlifting championship.
Sewell committed to Indiana State, redshirting for his freshman season of 1999, and ultimately played only one season, 2000, before transferring to the University of Nebraska and sitting out the 2001 season in compliance of National Collegiate Athletic Association transfer eligibility rules. He resumed in 2002 as a junior, playing in five games as a reserve center. A productive senior season saw Sewell start all 13 Cornhusker games and earn honorable mention All-Big 12 and second-team academic All-Big 12 honors.